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NEW DELHI: Education leaders urge the Union Budget 2025 to enhance financial support for higher education, increase funding to 8% of GDP, and integrate AI-driven learning in schools. Key demands include easing GST on educational institutions, expanding digital access in rural areas, strengthening industry-academia ties, and prioritizing climate education to align with India’s sustainability goals.Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, Anant National University: We hope the Union Budget 2025 builds on earlier provisions, particularly the financial support for loans of up to ₹10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions, making it more accessible to students. Additionally, we look forward to this budget advancing support for education, employment, and skills through supportive schemes.
Another key focus should be increasing access to quality education and technology, especially in rural and underserved areas. Investments in expanding connectivity, modernising classrooms and creating accessible online learning platforms are essential to bridging the digital divide and making education more accessible to all.
As the world evolves, the demand for skilled professionals across various sectors will grow. Meeting this need requires laying the groundwork at the school level. Strengthening industry-academia connections will better prepare students to navigate dynamic challenges, particularly in technology-disrupted environments. Easing GST on higher education institutes, coupled with tax benefits for students and professionals availing education loans for self, could provide significant relief to both institutions and students.
Ravichandran V. Chairperson and trustee at eVidyaloka: Budget 2025 needs to make a bold commitment to education—raising funding from 3% to 8% and ensuring rural students are not left behind in an AI-driven world. This investment should focus on three key areas: expanding access to quality education through both online and in-person modalities, addressing teacher shortages by leveraging public-private partnerships for AI-powered learning solutions, and preparing students for an AI-driven world. This includes equipping every government school with computers and introducing AI education from 6th grade in collaboration with leading tech companies.
Additionally, prioritizing open-source platforms for Indian language SLMs/LLMs, expanding internet access to remote areas via satellite technology, and establishing digital classrooms nationwide will be critical steps in bridging the digital divide. To truly empower the next generation, AI, coding, and computer science must be integrated into the curriculum from 1st grade, with an enhanced focus on mathematics, building upon existing frameworks like the CBSE syllabus”.
Dr Rohan Dutta, Associate Professor, Anant School For Climate Action: As India strives to achieve its climate action goals and transition towards a sustainable future, the Union Budget 2025 presents a pivotal opportunity to prioritise climate education in alignment with the visions of the National Education Policy 2020, and the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
Climate change is no longer abstract – it directly affects livelihoods, health, and economies. Therefore, empowering the next generation with knowledge and solutions is an investment in long-term resilience. The 2025 Union Budget must demonstrate a commitment to making climate education a cornerstone of national development, aligning with global best practices and India’s ambitious sustainability commitments. Only with informed citizens can India truly lead in creating a sustainable and climate-resilient world.
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